Page 256 of Marcello

Lucrezia and I were the only sober ones. Cesare was amped up, but all the others were swaying slightly as they tried to keep their bleary eyes focused.

“Alright, everyone,” Lucrezia said, “we’re leaving for Florence in two days.”

“To kill Dario Rosolini,” Cesare added with savage glee.

All the other guys took it in stride. Or maybe they were so drunk it didn’t register yet.

Me?

It knocked me for a fucking loop.

After all, we were talking about my hometown, which I hadn’t been back to in seven years.

“Wait – what?” I asked, stunned.

“Dario Rosolini lives outside Florence,” Lucrezia said in a bored voice, “so that’s where we’re going.”

“All of us?” I asked.

“All of YOU are,” Lucrezia said. “I’m going to leave a third of our men here to guard the mansion until our return.”

SHIT!

I wasn’t sure if I could get Giulietta out before then, so I tried to bargain.

“Maybe I should stay here to oversee everybody,” I suggested.

“Aren’t you from Florence?” Lucrezia asked in confusion.

“…yeah…?”

“Then congratulations – you just became our tour guide.”

“Besides, FUCK you,” Cesare snarled at me. He was still pissed at me for not finding the Amatos’ daughter – and for interfering with his order to kill Luciano’s family. “You don’t get to pussy out and stay behind. In fact, you’re gonna be on the front lines, you dickless piece of shit.”

The other guys snickered – all but Cicciobello, who gave me a sympathetic look.

I just bit my tongue.

“Now,” Lucrezia said, “we have a lot of things to do before we leave, so it’s going to be a busy two days. Romeo, you’re going to be my right-hand man over the next 48 hours. I need you with me to – ”

“No!” I said in alarm.

If I was away from the mansion, there was no way I could get Giulietta out. In fact, there was no way I could even get her food or water!

I realized how badly I’d fucked up a second too late.

Lucrezia looked at me like I was insane.

Cesare looked at me like he was going to cut off my cock and shove it down my throat.

“…no?” Lucrezia asked angrily.

I tried to rationalize my outburst.

“I mean – you need somebody in charge of guarding the mansion, right?” I said, then gestured at my fellow lieutenants. “Who’s going to do it – a bunch of fuckin’ drunks?”

“Hey!” Ciro barked, then staggered a bit as he lost his balance.